The Snake River:
We are getting closer to normal summer levels on the Snake every day. Clarity has improved and we are right around the corner from some great fishing. Your best bet is fishing the soft water – riffles, trenches, slow eddies and banks. That said, we are starting to see the occasional hit in quick riffles, especially on an attractor pattern. Nymphing with rubber legs and mayfly nymphs has been productive. A hopper-dropper is also a good bet, with fish coming up to circus peanuts, water walkers, chubbies…foam!
Grey drake sipper on the Green river.
The Green:
The Green is dropping and clearing. In general it is fishing best in the first half of the day, and cloud cover will often help with the dry fly bite. Drakes and chubbies are catching fish. A nymph rig or streamer stripped along the bank are also productive if the trout aren’t rising.
Hooked up on Fish Creek.
Spring Creeks:
Lake creek and Fish creek are still fishing well. The bigger trout are getting a little pickier but are definitely still eating well presented flies. We are seeing a variety of bugs hatching on the creek, with PMDs and small caddis bringing fish to the surface. The trout are starting to key into foam, so hopper-dropper rigs are another great option.
Mid-August Fishing Report
/in Fishing Reports /by Amy JimmersonA successful day on Fish creek.
It’s terrestrial season on the Snake! We have seen lots of grasshoppers and crane flies, think foam. The trusty chubby chernobyl will bring a fish to the top. In the mornings PMD’s and caddis are flying and a good option. In general, the fishing has been best midday when the temperatures warm a bit. Streamers can also be effective when fished on banks and structure.
The fishing on the spring creeks continues to be good. PMD’s, hoppers and chubbies are getting big fish to the surface on these beautiful little stretches of water.
The Green has seen a lot of pressure this season and the fish are getting picky. We are seeing trout on terrestrials – hoppers and beetles – and PMD’s. Get there early as the fishing is the best in the morning.
The Snake comes into shape.
/in Fishing Reports /by Amy JimmersonThis week on the Snake saw more big fish eating on the surface, and we are excited about it! Terrestrials are getting the trout fired up, hitting a variety of foam patterns such as circus peanuts and the trusty chubby chernobyl. We are seeing the occasional PMD and caddis hatch, so these are also good choices if you see bugs flying around. A hopper-dropper is a great way to start the day as you wait for the grasshoppers to start buzzing around.
Fishing on the spring creeks is still good and we are seeing nice fish come up on dries. If you have a hankering to wade around a beautiful creek with big fish, this is your spot!
Fish Creek produces another beautiful cutthroat trout.
August 1 Fishing
/in Fishing Reports /by Amy JimmersonA nice rainbow caught on the Green.
Wow, it’s August! We have finally hit flows that are consistent with the historical average on the Snake and the fishing is coming into shape. We are seeing risers on chubby chernobyls and other foam, think circus peanuts and water walkers. Starting the day on nymphs (rubber legs, pheasant tails) or with a hopper-dropper is a great way to get hits as the morning warms up.
The Green has seen a lot of traffic this summer, and the fish are getting wise. On the upper stretches fish are coming up to ants, beetles, and small pmds. There are big fish to be had, it is just taking a little more time and patience.
Fish creek is a beautiful wade option. We have been seeing grey drakes, small yellow stones, caddis flies. There are big cutties in the spring creeks and will come up to well presented flies.
The Snake, the Green, and Spring Creeks
/in Fishing Reports /by Amy JimmersonA nice Snake river cutthroat.
The Snake River:
We are getting closer to normal summer levels on the Snake every day. Clarity has improved and we are right around the corner from some great fishing. Your best bet is fishing the soft water – riffles, trenches, slow eddies and banks. That said, we are starting to see the occasional hit in quick riffles, especially on an attractor pattern. Nymphing with rubber legs and mayfly nymphs has been productive. A hopper-dropper is also a good bet, with fish coming up to circus peanuts, water walkers, chubbies…foam!
Grey drake sipper on the Green river.
The Green:
The Green is dropping and clearing. In general it is fishing best in the first half of the day, and cloud cover will often help with the dry fly bite. Drakes and chubbies are catching fish. A nymph rig or streamer stripped along the bank are also productive if the trout aren’t rising.
Hooked up on Fish Creek.
Spring Creeks:
Lake creek and Fish creek are still fishing well. The bigger trout are getting a little pickier but are definitely still eating well presented flies. We are seeing a variety of bugs hatching on the creek, with PMDs and small caddis bringing fish to the surface. The trout are starting to key into foam, so hopper-dropper rigs are another great option.
Mid-July Fishing
/in Uncategorized /by Amy JimmersonSunny, beautiful day on the Green.
The grey drake hatch is still going full force on the Upper Green. Days are warming up quickly so head to the river early to catch the hatch. There are also some fish eating golden stones more consistently (foam!) and a variety of other dries, think caddis, yellow sallies, and pmds. A dry with a worm dropper combo is also a good bet. The Green bumped up a bit last week, so focus on slower water.
The Snake is still high, with water levels about twice the normal flow for this time of year. That said, the water is starting to green up and it seems like good fishing is right around the corner. If you can’t wait for things to clear up and have to hit the Snake now, don’t do it without a pocket full of Pat’s rubber legs and some pink worms.
Brown on the Green.
The Green is fishing…well.
/in Fishing Reports /by Amy JimmersonBrown trout caught on the Green.
Another nice brown from the Green river.
The Green is in! We have had some great days on the Green river as it drops and clears. There have been HUGE drake hatches and some of the fish are looking up to dries. Drakes and stone flies have attracted the most interest, with the promise of more stones on the way as both golden stones and yellow sallies have been hatching with increased frequency. The nymph fishing has been consistent and productive. Like the dries, a stone or mayfly nymph is a good bet, and the trusty worm in pink and red will produce fish. If the clouds roll in and you get an overcast day, dark streamers will move some big browns. Fish creek is still fishing well and a great wade option close to Jackson!
It’s good to have lots of option when the bugs are hatching.
Damn, that’s high water!
/in Fishing Reports /by Amy JimmersonEmery Rheam with a beautiful cutty on Fish Creek.
The Tetons continue to shed their massive snowpack and the rivers are still raging. These conditions will do a load of good for the fishery going forward. The rivers will, most likely, stay cooler longer (happy trout!) and late summer and fall fishing will be great. The high water also flushes sediment out of gravel beds, making ideal spawning habitat and healthier future fish populations…yay high water!
Fortunately, if you have the itch to fish we are still having a lot of success on Cottonwood Lake and the Spring Creeks on Snake River Ranch. A variety of tactics are pulling a variety of trout, and there is a good chance that the warming weather will bring out dry flies. Come enjoy the beautiful summer weather with us, let’s catch fish!
Impromptu rowing lesson on Cottonwood Lake. You can’t beat the views!
Cottonwood Lake Fishing
/in Fishing Reports, Uncategorized /by Amy JimmersonA beautiful brook trout on Cottonwood Lake
A huge lake trout caught on Cottonwood Lake.
The snow is coming down from the mountains and our regional waterways are seeing some of the highest water levels in years. It’s a great time to fish a lake or spring creek while the rivers get their annual refresh. Cottonwood Lake has been fishing really well, with cutthroat, lake, and brook trout eating streamers, dries and nymphs. Chironomids, leeches, damselflies, and callibaetis are all getting fish to the boat. The water on the lake is clear and the views can’t be beat!
Cottonwood Lake fishing.
Hot Fishing on the Spring Creeks
/in Fishing Reports /by Amy JimmersonA beautiful cutthroat trout caught on Fish Creek.
High water has hit the Rockies and the big rivers are running fast. While the fishing is on hold across most of the area, the spring creeks are still great options to get on some beautiful trout. Fish Creek and Lake Creek on Snake River Ranch are waters that GFA fishes exclusively, and they have been fishing well!
We have been seeing a variety of mayflies and caddis hatching during the day. A BWO or parachute adams pattern will bring big fish to the surface. When the fish aren’t eating on top, a dry-dropper rig with a pheasant tail or hare’s ear are great options. There are a limited number of fishermen allowed on these creeks per day, so you are guaranteed to have the place to yourself. This is the best fishing in the valley right now, check out our private water page for more information.
Sneaking up on big trout.
Sunny days and skwala hatches on the Snake.
/in Uncategorized /by Amy JimmersonAfter a long and snowy winter, it is Spring in the Tetons! Sunny days have brought out dry flies, with skwala at the top of the menu. Starting the morning out with a dry-dropper rig will get you on fish before the big bugs hit the water. Fish are eating on top as the day warms up, so throw on a brown, black, or purple chubby for afternoon fishing.
Warm weather bringing out the skwala dries.
Streamers have been moving fish throughout the day, with the best eats on brown/olive/tan sculpin patterns. The river is moving well and the water temps are still pretty cool, so look to the slow and soft riffles to hold fish. Water clarity has been good, but we could see some changes as the week continues to warm and some of our record-breaking snowpack hits the Snake River drainage. Get out soon and enjoy the fishing!